The Columbia 4L 4R
It’s like a Barnhart (that has a toe) with a long shank. Wonderful for posteriors and pockets. Do you use this in your practice? Let us know what you think.
Dental Mentors
Two years after I graduated dental hygiene school, I signed up for the local Utah Dental Hygienists’ Association Annual Session. I was so excited to go to a larger meeting to meet hygienists from all over the state, but listen to a few national speakers. I hadn’t been to a large dental convention before, and since I was starting to feel more comfortable with my profession and working with patients, I knew learning new skills and tricks would be amazing for my practice. The day of the convention, I picked a front row seat. I pulled out my notebook and was wide eyed to listen to a national speaker who I’ve looked up to and read about in all the national publications.
The speaker started her lecture. I’m sure the content was amazing (I honestly don’t remember the topic) and I’m sure learned a lot from it. But, the one thing I absolutely remember from the lecture was the feeling after I had about dental hygiene. Unfortunately, the speaker was negative toward the profession and where it was heading. And I’m not going to lie- I was heartbroken! My newbie hygiene heart hurt after that lecture. I was excited to meet and listen to this powerhouse in the dental hygiene world and thought she could be a potential mentor to me. But, instead, I left sad about being picking a career in dentistry.
In contrast, my dad is a dentist. I’ve never worked for or known anyone who loves their job as much as my dad. He was obsessed with learning new techniques and technology, changing his patient’s lives, and finding the best way to treat many oral health and systemic health issues. He would tell me though that dentistry wasn’t always his favorite. When he first started as a dentist, it was hard. Starting a business, working with people, and finding great employees were all very difficult. But, once he had a rhythm and his focus was more on patient treatment instead of starting a business, he loved every second. He loved it so much that he encouraged all his kids to go into the dental field, which 3 out of the 5of us did.
So, what’s the difference between these 2 dental mentors?
First of all, they both had long, amazing careers in dentistry. And they were hard workers in a sometimes difficult career. However, one was positive about the outcome of dentistry and one maybe wasn’t as much. One loved the outcomes and saw the differences in patient’s lives, while one chose to focus on the negative aspects of dentistry. At this point in your career in dentistry, you can choose where you want to focus. Do you want to focus on the hard days, the late patients that just ate Oreos before their patients, or the way dentistry is changing in a way you don’t like? Or do you choose to focus on the positive outcomes of patients, the relationships made during your clinic day and the people’s smiles you helped create? For me, I’m choosing to follow my dad’s footsteps and legacy, and keep a positive outlook on what dentistry has done for me.
Which mentor will you be after your years in dentistry?
Jinx Challenge- Dental Edition
Ever seen the Jimmy Fallon Jinx Game? Watch it below for a quick and fun break between patients.
Now that you understand how the game works, we’ve made you your very own Jinx Challenge with a dental spin. Print off the words (card stock works great so you can’t see through the paper), grab a coworker or dental bestie, and try it out! See if you can connect and get as many Jinxes as you can! Plus, if you’re looking for a fun and easy game to start off a staff meeting, this game is the answer!
We’d love to see you play! Tag us @hygieneedge in your posts so we can see your cute faces!
Is the Amazon Dental Light Worth it?
Last year, my loupes light broke. And I was heartbroken. It was my 1st patient of the day at 8 am. After the usual chit chat and radiographs, I laid the patient back and immediately put on my loupes and turned on the light. Except it didn’t turn on. I played with the cord, unplugged it several times, and double checked it was fully changed. But it still didn’t turn on. I felt blind the entire day! I have no idea how much I loved having a light until it was gone. I used loupes without a light for a few years even when I first got a pair of loupes, and didn’t know what I was missing! That evening, I jumped online to find a new light and to price out which brand to get, and what was in my price point. Turns out, it was going to take a while to buy a new light from one of the big brand companies, so of course, I turned to Amazon. And of course, there is an affordable option from overseas that would be at my house in 2 days. So I jumped on board and decided to try it for a few months. HERE it is and here is what I found:
Pros
- It was cheap. Like 5x cheaper than other dental specific brands.
- It was the perfect light to get me through the months when I was out a professional light.
- The newer model has a better clip than the older model. The one I purchased last year had a slip on clip that unfortunately didn’t fit on my Surgitel Oakley frames. However, the newer model has a clip that opens and should fit most designs and frames.
Cons
- The cord is not flexible, which makes the light tricky to manage
- The screw that attaches to the light isn’t that tight, so it tends to get loose over the day. At the end of the day, I use just a small screwdriver to tighten it.
- The battery does not have a clip to attach to a pocket or a waist band. Instead, you just have to place the battery in your scrubs pocket which can be odd to get used it.
- With the older model, the plastic slip on clip broke after a few months. After the plastic snapped, I couldn’t figure out a way to attach it to my safety glasses.
- It gets really hot. My other light would warm up during the day, but this light would get difficult to touch or move if it had been left on for a few hours at a time.
- The battery life lasts 4-5 hours when it’s brand new. So, I had to plug it in during lunch to make sure it latest the entire day. As I used it, the battery day span got shorter. But since they’re so cost effective, you could totally invest in 2 or 3 to have a few back up batteries on hand.
So, if you’re finding you need a light, this cost effective one on Amazon might be the answer!
Have you tried this light before? What’s your experience with it?
The Eagle Talon with XP Sharpen-Free Technology from American Eagle Instruments
If you love scaling anteriors then you will love the Ealge Talon with XP Sharpen-Free Technology by American Eagle Instruments. It combines the Jacquette 3 and the Nebraska 128, into one instrument. Check it out in our latest video below.
The Boge 513 A New Must Have Dental Instrument
Emily Boge, a fellow dental hygienist that I had the privilege to meet in person at the recent 2019 American Dental Hygienists' Association meeting, invented an instrument with a HOE on one side and a NEBRASKA 128 on the other. A hoe is particularly difficult to sharpen so when the XP Sharpen-Free Technology became available, eliminating the need for sharpening this unique instrument, the Boge 513 can now be an instrument you have in all of your setups. Check it out in our latest video.
Boge 513
How to Prep for a Dental Hygiene Convention
Convention Season is here! Going to a dental convention, especially a dental hygiene convention, is always a fun and exciting time in an RDH’s career. There’s always things to learn, new people to meet and learn from, and new products and technologies to learn about. I always love attending a convention to dentally geek out.
1. Come Prepared
Check out what classes are being offered and make a plan. Even spending a half hour before the convention begins will help you organize your time and make the most out of your educational experience at the convention. You’ll see all the classes and pick which ones apply to you most, instead of just attending whatever class has the most openings. If you’re going to spend the time and the money at a dental conference, might as well learn the most that’s going to apply to you in practice!
2. Wear Comfortable (especially not brand new) Shoes
It’s always fun to wear something other than scrubs and sneakers to a professional event. However, you do a ton of walking at these conventions. More than you think! You’re on your feet walking from your hotel to the exhibit hall, to your class across the center, then back to the exhibit hall, then over to lunch…. You get the idea. So much walking is involved so wearing those really cute brand new heels may not be the best choice. Save them for a party or a dinner that goes along with the convention.
3. Bring a Sweater
Is it 100 degrees outside while you’re at the convention? Who cares! It’ll be 68 degrees in your classrooms, so I’d dress for that weather instead of what’s going on inside. Bring a sweater or a shawl to wrap around you when those classrooms get chilly. Being cold makes it very difficult to concentration on what’s being presented.
4. Reach out to Companies Beforehand
If you have a certain company or product you want to see, reach out beforehand! Let them know you’ll be stopping by the booth to see it and would love more training on it. That will ensure they have it on hand if they know someone’s interested.
5. Enjoy It!
You’ll love being at the convention! Enjoy every second! Go to all the classes, network with other dental hygienists from all over the country at lunch, sit by someone new at an event. You never know who you’ll meet or who you’ll learn from for a lifelong dental bestie.
Do you have plans to attend any dental conventions soon? Anyone went to ADHA Annual Session last week? What is your favorite part about attending these conferences?
Gracey's, Gracey's, Gracey's Galore
The Gracey series is a must-have in any hygiene tool kit. One challenge with Gracey’s is that they are a challenge to sharpen. The exciting news is that American Eagle Instruments have made it so you no longer have to worry about sharpening them anymore, by manufacturing them with the XP Shapren-Free Technology. When using any instrument with XP Sharpen-Free technology be sure to:
NOT sharpen them
Use a modified exploratory-like stroke to remove deposits (see videos below for demonstration)
Not to “pop” of the calculus, but to shave it off from the top of the deposit to the tooth, similar to how it is done with an ultrasonic.
Check out the 15-16 or M, L, and B surfaces and the 13-14 for D surfaces below
15-16 Gracey
13-14 Gracey with XP Sharpen-Free Technology
Double Graceys are also made with XP Sharpen-Free technology. A double Gracey is a combined 11-12, 13-14 into one. You no longer have to pick up two different Gracey instruments during treatment or figure out how to sharpen such an intricate instrument.
BEST. THING, EVER. INVENTED!!!
Check out the posterior and anterior double Gracey instruments in our latest videos below.
Double Gracey Mini anterior and posterior
Double Gracey Standard anterior and posterior
At the recent American Dental Hygienists’ Association Annual Session, a lecture was provided by Anna Pattison, an instrumentation guru. Our own Jessica Atkinson was able to attend and learned to take shorter strokes, at a rolled adaptation interproximal to reduce burnishing calculus. You can see this adaptation stroke in the videos above.
The TapKin A Bib Clip Free Patient Cover
As dental hygienists one of our biggest rolls is that of the infection control guru in the office. I would dare say that we are the most knowledgeable on this topic in the office. Being a dental assistant prior to becoming a dental hygienist, I can say that as dental assistant I lacked the knowledge of the importance of proper infection control. In dentistry we are always searching for ways to reduce cross contamination and at the same time increase efficiency. Check out our latest video below and learn all about the TapKin, a bib clip free patient cover, that allows you to #ditchthebibclip and reduce cross contamination.
We are giving away a box of TapKins on our Instagram @hygieneedge! Head over there to enter to win!
If you just want it now TapKin is offering a 5% off discount to all of our viewers, enter “EDGE” at checkout on the TapKin website. The discount code will be active until August 1st, 2019.
Contest rules can be found HERE.
New RDH Grad Advice
Congratulations to all the amazing new 2019 dental hygiene grads! As we all know, hygiene school is hard, fun, stressful, empowering, all the emotions wrapped up in a 2 year package. Graduating and passing boards exams are such a highlight of the entire experience. I’m not going to lie- I have some of the best memories of college in my last semester of dental hygiene school. Possibly because the lows are very low, but the highs are high?
And now- it’s over! Congrats again. But, now what? Transitioning from being a (more than) full time student to looking for the perfect office to call home can be tricky. We’ve asked dental hygienists from all over the country to give their advice. Here are some of our favorites:
“Take it one day at a time. Don’t let one bad day, one bad appointment, one bad set of radiographs sully your entire career”
“Stay at an office for at least 2 months before jumping ship-unless it’s a horrible situation”
“Be a member and stay active in your professional organization, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. You never know who you will meet through the association, or where your career will take you. Having a backing as well to support the profession as you grow into it is also amazing.”
“Invest in yourself from day one. Buy your own loupes and saddle chair if you need to. Take time to stretch during the day. Taking care of yourself should be #1. Isn’t there a saying that you have to take care of yourself before you take care of other people?”
“Be a life long learner. Dentistry is a science, and it’s always changing and improving. Stay up on your CE credits and classes not because you have to for your license, but because you want what’s best for yourself and for your patients.”
What’s your advice for a new grad? Or the best piece of advice you received as a new graduate?